Does Carbonation Make You Puffy?

Carbonation involves injecting air bubbles into drinks to create a bubbly, fizzy drink. Carbonation gives a bubbly texture to sodas that you may enjoy drinking. However, the carbonation could have an adverse effect on your body, causing you to potentially experience puffiness and bloating. Understanding why carbonation is more likely to make you puffy and how to diminish puffiness can help reduce abdominal discomfort.

Carbonation and Puffiness

The introduction of air into your body can influence puffiness and bloating. Eating too fast, chewing gum and/or drinking carbonated beverages can all add air into your gastrointestinal tract. The result can be bloating that adds as much as 3 inches to your stomach, according to Dr. Mehmet Oz, a physician interviewed on ABC News 3.

Carbonation + Sorbitol

If you notice that some beverages increase your bloating rate more than others, this is because some sodas contain carbonation and sorbitol, an artificial sweetener that can cause gas and bloating in your intestines. If you have a tendency to experience gas symptoms after drinking carbonated beverages, avoiding those with sorbitol may help reduce your drink-related bloating.

Breastfeeding

While carbonated beverages can contribute to gas in the stomach, the carbonation ingested by a breastfeeding woman does not pass into her bloodstream and into her baby’s milk, according to the KellyMom parenting website. If your baby is having gas problems, it is likely due to other causes.

Considerations

If you typically experience puffiness related to carbonation intake, consider cutting the number of carbonated beverages in your diet and drinking water. Water can help reduce bloating in your body by stimulating your kidneys to release extra water 3. However, if your bloating worsens with carbonated beverage consumption or does not subside after six to eight hours, this could indicate the presence of an underlying condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome or bowel blockage. See your physician if this occurs.